Steering attachment for outboard motors



5, 1951 |..1'. MURPHY, JR 2,553,204

STEERING ATTACHMENT FOR ou'raomw MOTORS Fired June so, 1950 2 She e ts Sheet 1 I Q. IIIIlII/IIIIIIIIIII.

I N VENTOR [1 0). 7'. MURPHY, JR.

M y 15, 1951 L. 1'. MURPHY, JR 2,553,204

I STEERING ATTACHMENT FOR OUTBOARD uo'ross Filed June 30, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR LLOfD. 7" Mam /7 Jg.

Patented May 15, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT ormcs STEERING ATTACHMENT FOR OUTBOARD MOTORS Lloyd Tl Murphy, Jr., Oak Ridge, Tenn.

Application June 30, 1950, Serial No. 171,305

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to steering attachments for outboard motors and, more particularly, to attachments for releasably connecting an outboard motor to a limb of the operator so that the motor can be steered while leaving the operators hands free.

The object. of the invention is to provide an attachment connectible to any one of the number of conventional outboard motors and extending forwardly from the motor for engagement with an arm or leg of the operator so that the motor can be turned for steering the boat, thus leaving the operators hands free for fishing or performing other appropriate functions. A particular object is to provide such an attachment engageable either with an arm or a leg so that the boat may be steered by turning the motor even though the operator might be in sitting or standing position in the boat.

In the performance of these objectives, it is intended now to provide, in one form of the invention, a Y-shaped bracket easily and quickly attachable to and detachable from the steering handle of the tiller of an outboard motor so that the knee, calf, or any other part of the leg or foot of the operator may be engaged within the Y for turning the motor in either direction by simple movement to the right or left of the operators leg. Manifestly, the operator may engage any part of his arm in the Y for similar turning of the motor.

Another object of the invention is to provide a Y-shaped bracket for semi-permanent connection with the outboard motor, a part of this form of the invention serving as a substitute for the conventional pivoted portion of the tiller and grip, or handle of an outboard motor.

These and other objects Will be apparent from the following specification and drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical elevation showing an outboard, boat, and one form of the attachment applied to the steering handle of the outboard, the operators leg being engaged in the bracket;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the attachment shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a rear end elevation of the attachment shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a modified form of the attachment; and

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a further modification of the attachment.

Referring now to the drawings in which like reference numerals denote similar elements, the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 is intended for application to a conventional outboard motor 2 bearing, not shown, between clamp: 8 and the main part ofthe motor 2.

The invention is concerned with an attachment, one form of which is indicated at [6, by which a body part, such as an arm or leg of the body of the operator is engaged with the motor so that by movement of the body part, the motor can be turned without necessarily manually engaging grip handle I H. In the embodiment shown in Figs. 2 and 3, bracket It includes at its rear end a socket l8 telescopically engagable over tiller grip I l and detachably affixed thereon by clamp screw 29 threadedly engaged within an internally threaded boss 22 on socket I8. Preferably a clamp piece 24 slidably fits beneath clamp screw 29 and, in turn, presses half sleeve 26 against the top of handle ll so as to hold socket l8 securely in place.

The front end of socket i8 is reduced and provided with internal threads 28 into which removably engages the threaded stem 38 of a Y piece 32, the arms of which are spread outwardly so that the leg 35 or other body part of an operator may be engaged within the arms of the Y. While Y piece 32 in the illustrated form is relatively short, it is apparent that its stem may be of any desired length so as to extend forwardly to a convenient steering station in a boat.

The embodiment illustrated in Fig. l is similar in most respects to that of Figs. 1 to 3 but instead of utilizing a socket i8 engageable over handle I! as in the first embodiment, an arrangement is provided for more permanent attachment to the outboard motor. In this form of the invention, tiller [0 is removed at its pivotal connection I2 with outboard motor arm M and a modified tiller piece 50 substituted. Tiller piece 50 is generally tubular and provided with a clevis 52 at its rear end for pivotal connection, as at l2A, with the. forward end of outboard motor arm M. The forward end of tiller piece 59, which may be of any desired length, is provided with internal threads 28A corresponding to the threads 28 in the previous modification for threaded engagement with a Y bracket 28 similar in all respects to the one previously described.

The modification shown in Fig. 5 is generally similar to the ones previously described in that it includes Y bracket 28, but in this form it is supported on grip handle 10 by an offset extension 55 clamped as at 56 to tiller l 0. Obviously, offset extension 55 may be of suitable length so as to provide the desired steering position in front of the motor. It is apparent that the embodiments shown in Figs. 1 to 5 may be left attached, as shown as permanent accessories to the steering handle or other steerable part of an outboard motor.

It will be apparent in all forms of the invention, the hands of the operator are left free while the outboard can be positively turned to the right or left without necessitating grasping of the handle. Y

The invention entailed above is not-limited to the exact forms shown, but embraces all modifications, substitutions, and equivalents in the scope of the following claim.

I claim:

An attachment for steering outboard motors of "the type having a forwardly projecting tiller an- :gularly offset from the fore-and-aft axis of the :motor, comprising: a substantially L-shaped extension rod, having a foot portion adapted in length to extend inwardly from the offset tiller :substantially to a position forwardly of the motor and along a forward extension of the center line ".thereof, and a stem portion projecting substantially right-angularly forward from the foot portion substantially along the forward extension of the center line of the motor; a substantially Y- shaped bracket affixed to the free forward end of said stem portion with the crotch of the Y disposed forwardly; and an angularly-ofiset clamp afllxed to the free end of the foot portion of said extension rod for releasably engagin said tiller, the angular offset of said clamp being substantially equal to the angular offset of the tiller.

LLOYD 'I'. MURPHY, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 476,122 Barcroft May 31, 1892 638,542 Atwood Dec, 5, 1899 751,876 Smith Feb. 9, 1904 899,639 Vibber Sept. 29, 1908 1,199,052 Crawford Sept. 26, 1916 1,383,825 Landon July 5, 1921 1,434,216 Le Compte Oct. 31, 1922 2,478,858 Buske Augp9, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 23,865 Germany 1 Sept. '10, 1883 

